Just received a copy of this from Pacificorp, via email. This comes from the following site:

http://www.pacificorp.com/news/y2k/

I have written the company to find out why they are reporting that all their thermal plants have had their clocks rolled ahead to March, 2000, but they are saying nothing about their hydro plants. They say int the article that they have 26 thermal plants (six owned jointly), and 63 hydro plants.

I also want to point out that after one of the questions in the Q&A section: "Q: What will happen to the electric utility grid if one of the electric companies isn't ready for the Year 2000 on time? Will it shut down the whole system? Will it affect PacifiCorp?", they give a rather long response, but never really say yea or nay.

If I get a response from them, I'll post it.

Jumpoff Joe PacifiCorp Y2K Update

J

J July 1, 1999 update

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: PacifiCorp has reached its July 1, 1999, milestone to have all critical electric systems ready for the Year 2000. In addition, its electric utilities, Pacific Power and Utah Power, have advanced the control system clocks ahead and are operating all its thermal generating units in the Year 2000 from now until the end of the first quarter of the year 2000. The same action has taken place in its transmission and distribution systems. PacifiCorp is now producing and delivering Year 2000 electricity to its customers. . Click below to view the entire announcementJJPacificorp Plants Producing Year 2000 Electricity.

To reach this goal, our employees have been working for more than three years in all areas of the company. J

Our employees are busy preparing for the Year 2000 and we're on schedule to have all critical systems ready and tested by July 1999.

Many legacy mainframe systems have been replaced with new systems certified Y2K ready. Power supply facilities, telecommunications and data networks have been evaluated, tested and upgraded where necessary. Evaluation is complete and final testing is underway in power supply facilities. Telecommunications and data networks are being upgraded. And, we've found that a large segment of the company has few or no Y2K related problems.

We are also working with our vendors, suppliers, customers and regulatory agencies in order to continue to provide electric service when the the clock rolls over to the Year 2000.

If you have questions regarding our preparations for Y2K send email to py2kpo@pacificorp.com

Below are some of the questions frequently asked of our Year 2000 Project Office.

Q:Is PacifiCorp prepared for January 1, 2000 ? A: PacifiCorp will be ready for January 1, 2000. We are confident that our methodical program of assessing and preparing our systems and operations will be completed on time and will minimize potential Y2K problems.

Q: How big is the problem at PacifiCorp? How many systems, line of code, etc. must be investigated? A: The following is a current list of some of the equipment and devices necessary to the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity that PacifiCorp is evaluating for Y2K readiness:

26 thermal generating units (six jointly owned) and 63 hydro power units 10,000 power plant devices have been assessed and approximately 500 will require action 1,160 substations spread across our 152,000 square mile service area, 51 percent of these substations have electronic communications and control equipment 12 major and 40 minor utility interconnections 1,100 electronic meters will be replaced 150 hand-held meter reading devices will be replaced

PacifiCorp is retiring many of its legacy systems and is replacing them with a software package that is Y2K ready.

As of July 1, 1999, the project status was as follows:

Areas Complete (as of July 1, 1999) Areas to be completed Target Date for Completion Status * Computer Systems -- Correct and Test * Computer Systems -- Desktop September 30, 1999 On Schedule * Computer Systems -- Applications to Replace * Non-Critical Systems - Enterprise Wide September 30, 1999 On Schedule * Electric Systems -- Inventory * Continued Compliance Testing October 30, 1999 On Schedule * Electric Systems -- Assessment * Contingency Planning September 30, 1999 On-Going * Electric Systems -- Correct & Test J J J * Initial Contingency Planning - Finalized J J J

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Q: What Y2K preparations continue now that this milestone has been reached? A:The focus now shifts to a "clean management" program to maintain the readiness of our critical systems. This strategy requires testing to ensure that all new equipment and system modifications are Year 2000 ready before purchase or installation within the company. There is also work to be done to complete the Y2K preparations of non-critical systems throughout the corporation. (See chart above)

Q: How long has PacifiCorp been preparing for Year 2000? A: Preliminary work began on this project in 1996. In July 1997 a full-scale, systematic effort was launched.

Q: What do you mean by "systematic effort" - don't you just start at the beginning and check all the computers? A: We recognized that the Year 2000 problem is primarily a business issue rather than a purely technological one. That is, we couldn't just change the tools we use. We realized we had to look at all our business processes as well as the ways we transact business with others. Therefore, our Year 2000 efforts are focused in four specific areas of our business:

1.power plant and system control reliability 2.information technology 3.business disruption 4.supply chain disruption of the critical products and services we provide or require from others.

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Q: Is this issue confined to just the mainframe and desktop computers at PacifiCorp? A: No. Not only are we looking at all computer systems, PacifiCorp employees are looking at literally every electronic system we use to do business. That includes systems in power plants, office buildings, elevators, fax machines, security, hydropower sites, personal and mainframe computers - literally everything.

Q: How are the information technology people going to get it all done on time? A: This is an issue much broader than just information technology. Although the information technology department is heavily involved in the process, this is a business-wide issue. Employees in each of the company's business units have responsibility for work on the Y2K project. The company has also hired consultants to assist the power supply staff and information technology personnel with this critical project.

Q: How many people are assigned to this project? A: Several employees from every business line across the corporation are involved. A key person in each of those business lines is assigned the responsibility to make sure the group is ready for the year 2000. Within each work group various employees are assigned tasks to accomplish that goal. In addition, the company has contracted programmers and control systems experts to assist us in the effort.. There are about 100 full-time employees and contractors are working on the Year 2000 project.

Q: Who, then, is pulling this all together to make sure it all gets done and works together? A: A central Year 2000 project office is coordinating all Y2K activity throughout the corporation. The project office is responsible for reporting the status of the project to PacifiCorp's Year 2000 executive steering committee and quarterly to the chief executive officer and the Board of Directors.

Q: What will happen to the electric utility grid if one of the electric companies isn't ready for the Year 2000 on time? Will it shut down the whole system? Will it affect PacifiCorp? A: We are working with all the energy providers in the area to assure ourselves that everyone is taking a prudent approach to Y2K preparedness. This issue is being handled just as we handle all other issues that might affect our system reliability such as severe weather and natural disasters. State and federal regulators are very interested in system reliability issues and the development of contingency plans by regulated utilities to deal with those issues.PacifiCorp is developing contingency plans that include worst-case scenarios related to this issue. These same regulators require regular reports and updates on our status and will also be conducting drills with the utilities at various times this year.

Q: Who is responsible for or monitoring compliance on the electric utility grid? A: The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) has responsibility for the industry in the United United States and coordinates the efforts of the 10 regional electric reliability councils. Locally, the Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC) coordinates all activity on the electric grid in the western United States. These agencies require Year 2000 readiness of critical systems for all interconnected electrical utilities by July 1, 1999. More information about these agencies can be found on the following websites: www.nerc.com and www.wscc.com

Q: Should individual customers purchase and install a backup generator for their business or home? A: PacifiCorp makes no general recommendations on this matter. Customers contemplating the purchase of a backup generator should carefully evaluate all the factors of their business or home situation before making such a decision. If a customer feels that a backup generator is necessary for critical business functions or at home, the Year 2000 issue should be only one factor to consider in that decision. PacifiCorp does recommend that any backup generation system be professionally installed and operated within the specific guidelines for that piece of equipment. Improperly installed generators can "back feed" power into the electric distribution system and become a significant safety hazard. Power lines thought to be "dead" by linemen could actually turn out to be "live" as a result of an improperly installed generator and could result in serious injury or death.

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Q: What other Y2K business effects are possible? A: We are working with all our vendors and suppliers to assure we will have the products and services we need to continue providing quality service. We want to make sure that any problems our vendors or suppliers might have won't cause problems for our customers.

Q: How does PacifiCorp know that it is taking all the right precautions to minimize Y2K disruptions? A: As addressed earlier, we have retained several consultants who specialize in Y2K solutions. We also belong to several industry groups that have formed for the purpose of addressing Y2K issues. In addition, we are talking directly and regularly with many of our peer utilities regarding this issue.

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Q: What can PacifiCorp's customers do to prepare for January 1, 2000? A: The Internet can be useful to check on how equipment manufacturers and software companies are addressing the Year 2000. Many are even offering software patches or upgrades over the web. You may also find that some of your electronic devices and software will not be affected by Y2K. Opinions about the impact of the Y2K "problem" vary widely. There are those who say the disruption caused by Y2K will be a non-event; others who say it will be catastrophic. We have done enough work at PacifiCorp to understand that there are definitely some Y2K impacts to our business and to others. We are addressing these issues and are planning to be conducting business as usual on January 1, 2000.

These pages on PacifiCorp's web site and the Year 2000 statements presented here, including the Y2K logo on the home page and the previous versions of this site and information previously provided on PacifiCorp's Year 2000 program, are a "Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure" as that term is defined by the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act (Public Law No: 105-271) signed into law by the President on October 19, 1998.

J

Top of Q&A

-- jumpoffjoe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), July 13, 1999

Answers

In addition, its electric utilities, Pacific Power and Utah Power, have advanced the control system clocks ahead and are operating all its thermal generating units in the Year 2000 from now until the end of the first quarter of the year 2000.

Gee... one would think that they'd operate in Year 2000 Mode all the way through Year 2000.

What I want to know is this: if they can "advance" the "control system clock" ahead so the year is wrong, why couldn't they have just "reversed" the "control system clock" perpetually and act like the year 2000 never got here?

I mean, if the system doesn't need the correct current year, why bother?

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), July 13, 1999.

Feeling punchy tonight, huh Lane?

BTW - good article today, though I'm still absorbing it.

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), July 13, 1999.

Lane,

This is purely speculation, but I have a good friend who works in a state government department, and he told me the following. They advanced the clock on one of their permit machines (these are very date dependent) to do a Y2k test on it and then couldn't bring it back. The manufacturer doesn't have a fix, only an upgrade to a newer model, but they say it should work OK after the actual rollover. However, for now, the department has to do a lot of workarounds to get the permits printed with proper dates. So I wonder, did any of those utilities with clocks running in the year 2000 right now find that they couldn't bring them back without causing a lockup like happened to the permit machine my friend told me about?

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), July 13, 1999.

I have a favor to ask. When one is posting about power, water, sewage etc., would you please give the geographical area. Its sometimes helpful to send the report on to a friend in that area. Thanks... Where is Pacificorp?? Is that Idaho and eastern Washington? Taz

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 14, 1999.

Sorry, Taz, That's a good idea. Check out this url for more info, but what they say is that Pacificorp owns Pacific Power and Light (my company), which serves Oregon and Washington, and also owns Utah Power. Their map at that site shows plants and power lines all over the western US, basically from the Rocky Mountain states west to the Pacific Ocean. They also own a power company in Australia.

http://www.pacificorp.com/paccomp/index.html

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), July 14, 1999.

They also still have far northern California (Siskiyou, Modoc, Del Norte, etc.) but are attempting to divest the distribution portion.

I spoke with our PacifiCorp rep last January. She told me that the hydro plants can be operated manually. No problem. They still have the old original controls in place.

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), July 14, 1999.

Gordon,

Good question about returning after a rollover. My test procedures (modified GM test plan) perform rollovers numberous times (power on rollover, power on rollover and reboot, power off rollover) for each date - so we did test for this. This is also a good illustration of the value of bench testing.

-- cl (cl@sky.com), July 14, 1999.